Lymphoedema is the build-up of lymphatic fluids in the arms and legs that can lead to swelling, heaviness, pain and discomfort. It is incurable but can be treated through a range of therapies such as massage, laser, medication and pneumatic pumps.

Mobile benefits

Steele says the work still needs to better understand how current treatments relieve lymphoedema, such as exactly how much force is applied to the arm during massage.

The benefit of the sleeve is that it will be portable, says Steele, adding that current therapies available for lymphoedema cannot be carried around.

"In some cases you have a huge hydraulic machine where you have to be stuck to a power point," she says.

Colleague Dr Bridget Munro says lymphoedema is a side-effect of breast cancer treatments such as mastectomy so people with the condition are already dealing with body image issues from their treatment.

"These patients are already very conscious of their bodies, so we want to develop something that is not visible and they can wear."

Spinks says the innovative material fibres contain a nano-scale "motor" that can be activated through heat or an electrochemical reaction.

"It all comes down to getting pressure in the sleeve and that has to come from some mechanically active part," says Spinks.

"The advance we want to exploit is based on fibre materials that can contract ... it is still to be established yet whether we can take individual fibres and weave them into fabric that will look and feel like normal fabric, but some of those fibres will contract."

Until recently, one of the bottlenecks in utilising the technology has been in making enough fibres to weave into material, says Spinks.

However, the team have produced small swatches of fabric and are confident they can produce larger pieces.